Blog Post

A Message From Rev. Carl Robinson
I was honored last week to attend the Delegates’ Council of the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati (MARCC). The gathering included persons of various faiths and backgrounds who met to highlight and deal with issues that impact Cincinnati neighborhoods. There were people in attendance from the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian communities, as well as some interested independent parties. The panel discussion on Community Benefits Agreements was interesting and engaging. Each of the speakers had a perspective and valuable information.

The meeting even resulted in some action. Within a presentation on a benefits agreement with the construction of a new professional soccer venue on the city’s West End, there was some question whether the West End Coalition might secure its own counsel, or if it was required to use provided counsel. It matters, primarily because the best interest of the city may not directly reflect the best interest of the West End Coalition. If an attorney is provided by the city, that counsel should represent the best interest of the city. Therefore, the delegates voted to ask the Executive Board to write a letter to the City Commission, asking that the West End Coalition be allowed to secure its own attorney, who would represent the best interest of that neighborhood.

These are interesting matters for a religious coalition, but the issues are important for neighborhoods, communities, and those who live in them. Because they are important for the ways that persons live together, the issues must be of vital interest to the religious community factions. When a coalition of a community’s religious communions acts together to bring about a benefit for citizens, there is significant power. That power can bring change.

It was good to see Barry Bordenkircher at the meeting. Barry serves as SONKA’s judicatory representative, while Dan Weyand-Geise continues to work with the group as a past-president and co-chair of MARCC’s upcoming 50th anniversary celebration. That celebration takes place this year, on October 3. Special anniversary gifts are welcome, of course.

Dayton Gay Pride Month At Harmony Creek Church
To celebrate Pride Month Harmony Creek Church will be showing: ‘Love, Simon’. See the flyer here.

Lay School Board Members Needed
Looking for a way to serve in SONKA? The Board of the SONKA Lay School (SLS) is looking for members. They usually meet the 1st Monday of each month at 10 a.m.

If you are interested in serving, please contact Marti Godby (mgchurchlady@aol.com) for a SLS Board Member Application Form. If you have questions about the positions, you may also contact Marti via email or at (513) 325-3379.

UCC National Counsel Heather Kimmel – Upcoming Webinar
On Wednesday, May 23 at 2 p.m. eastern time, Heather Kimmel will be leading a webinar on ‘Sex Offenders in Your Congregations: Recommendations and Best Practices’, sponsored and hosted by the Insurance Board.

The webinar is directed to Local Church pastors and lay leaders. It is open to anyone, including those who are not participants in the Insurance Board program. Registration is required. You can register by going to http://anymeeting.com/insuranceboard.

The webinar will be recorded for anyone who cannot attend at that time.

Policies Concerning Record Retention
UCC General Counsel, Heather Kimmel, has provided an outline on record retention. Please click here to read.

Benefits Of The Insurance Board
Another article from UCC General Counsel Heather Kimmel. Please click here to read.

Bethel AME Rising From Ashes As Local Community Rallies To Raise Funds – Please support!On December 13, 2017, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) congregation lost their historic downtown church building in a devastating fire. For those gathered on the sidewalk in the chill dawn of that morning, it seemed as if this tragedy had taken all. Yet in the following days people from across Lebanon and beyond stepped up to support Bethel in their time of loss. Now with restoration work in its early stages, Bethel’s sister church, Bethany United Church of Christ, is collaborating with area churches to help raise funds to complete the project.

Members of Bethany UCC, including Andy Ryerson – a local fire-fighter and emergency responder – proposed the idea of a community-wide fundraising meal for Bethel AME and “Everything’s Pastable” Spaghetti Dinner was born. Thanks to the generosity of Lebanon’s congregations, as well as members of Bethany, volunteers rapidly raised $1000 to purchase ingredients for the dinner. Local vendors from downtown Lebanon also made generous donations of gift baskets, gift cards, and other items for a raffle in support of Bethel. Bethany hopes to raise $2,500 by offering meals to at least 500 people from across the region.

The ‘Everything’s Pastable’ Spaghetti Dinner, with all the trimmings, will take place on Thursday, May, 17 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the new Lebanon Junior High School, 160 Miller Rd. Tickets are available at the door: $10 for adults, $7 for kids.

Safe Church Resources Now Online
In January 2018 SONKA recognized the intense interest and many common questions from congregations in regards to keeping their churches safe. The site: Safe Church Resources is intended to provide useful resources from those workshops to local churches, and to be a repository of information to share among all our churches. Please click the link above to learn more!

Discounted Rate Continues For Church Camp Registration
In honor of the opening of Templed Hills the camp is excited to continue the early registration rate as a Celebration Discount for Summer Camp 2018. Sign up by May 21 to CELEBRATE the return to Templed Hills and take advantage of the lowest registration rate!

International Gathering Of Biblical Storytelling By Heart
The Network of Biblical Storytellers, International brings storytellers from across the world to the annual Festival Gathering. This year, the Festival Gathering will occur at the Marriott at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio from August 1-4, 2018. Learn more here!